Wireless networks typically assign a default transmit power level to wireless devices, for example with reference to uplink transmissions from the wireless device to a sector deployed by an antenna of said access node. Sometimes, wireless devices are capable of higher transmit power levels than the default power levels. Increasing the transmit power level of a wireless device from the default transmit power level generally improves the robustness of an uplink signal, particularly for applications with high data requirements. However, increasing the transmit power level of an uplink transmission from a wireless device can also cause interference with other sectors deployed by neighboring access nodes that have a range proximate to the wireless device. Such signal interference can degrade the transmission of information from the neighboring sectors, and can have a negative impact on voice, data, and other services provided by the neighboring access node.
Overview
Exemplary embodiments described herein include systems, methods, and processing nodes for adjusting a transmit power level of a wireless device based on an interference caused by the transmit power level to neighboring sectors. A method for adjusting a transmit power level includes obtaining a potential interference of a neighboring sector caused by an increased transmit power level of the wireless device. The potential interference is based on a reference signal strength of the neighboring sector measured at the wireless device. When the potential interference is within an interference threshold, the method sets a maximum transmit power level using the increased transmit power level.
Another method for adjusting a transmit power level includes determining a desired transmit power level for the wireless device, determining a path loss of a neighboring sector caused by the desired transmit power level, and adjusting the desired transmit power level based on the path loss.
A system for adjusting a transmit power level includes a processing node and a processor communicatively coupled to the processing node. The processor configures the processing node to execute operations including determining a first path loss of a first neighbor sector, based on the first path loss, determining an interference caused to the first neighbor sector by an increased transmit power level of a wireless device and, based on the interference, adjusting the increased transmit power level of the wireless device.